Chris,
You posted a problem and what you tried as a solution, sort of asking a
question and now you are grumping that you don't like our answers. 

I don�t know your overall experience with Vanagons or engines in
general. I my self have years of experience in engine and industrial
equipment and my responses are based on experience, education, and a
deep understanding of things around me. 

Our responses were offered to help you avoid a mistake that will cost
you later. 

Since your first post stated that the radiator fan was cycling, the most
important part of the cooling system is working. You have circulation
and fan operation. How do you know the engine was really running hot?
Did you at least use the infrared thermometer to check the coolant temp
leaving the t-stat after it opens? This is the most basic trouble
shooting. You even replaced the gauge. Was it calibrated? Did you test
the gauge voltage regulator? If the regulated voltage is too high, both
the temp and fuel gauges will read high. 83, 84, and early 85's had
gauges that read higher then most. 3/4 high when fan turns on is common.
You may have fixed a problem you did not have. 

Now for choosing a lower temp stat, this will cause additional engine
wear. Under load, the cylinders will remain cool while the pistons heat
up and expand from the load. Increased cylinder and ring wear? Under
moderate driving, you may also have lower oil temps. Fuel dilution,
water condensation to contaminate the oil along with increased oil
viscosity will reduce efficiency. In the chemical world, 10C is a huge
difference. 10C hotter will double the rate of oil oxidation. 10C colder
cuts the ability to burn off fuel and water in half. 

Many engines are now designed to operate at even higher temps then the
Vanagon. 95-98C is becoming common. The actual temp is not critical.
What is important is that the temperatures are uniform throughout the
engine and that they are controlled. The gauge is really only there to
let you know when something is wrong. After establishing where it
normally sits under various conditions, changes will let you know
something is amiss. Real overheating will be accompanied with the gauge
almost pegged and the light flashing. A lower temp thermostat only buys
a little time when a real failure occurs. 

Really trying to help,
Dennis
  

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
Of JordanVw@AOL.COM
Sent: Saturday, March 25, 2006 1:01 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: [VANAGON] running hot....ideas ? UPDATE running a 70�
t-sta...

my van was never overheating.,..it was just running way hotter than
normal.
new rad, new gauge in dash.   still ran 3/4 at normal op temp.
now it runs about, or alittle cooler than my other 1.9L.    i still fail
to
see why everyone thinks i am going to destroy my engine from running a
t-stat
that is 17 degrees cooler than the original one..

chris

> The real question is; did the new T-stat cure the overheating? Find a
long
> steep hill and test it. It did not on our 85. That turned out to be a
water
> pump AND a radiator.I went back to the 87 degree unit afterwards.
> Ken Lewis
> http://neksiwel.20m.com/
>